409 - Jul 7
On the night of July 7, having been informed that a Pictish village about 4 miles from the Leprechaun cave had been destroyed by three Hill Giants, Aileil decided to investigate.
He found the village had indeed been trashed and three Hill Giants with broad Irish accents were seated around a roaring fire celebrating their victory by guzzling kegs of Pictish beer. The Giants had come over to Caledonia with Irish raiders but had split from them as they found the raiders too timid.
Aileil, using the grey powder found in the fort at the Antonine Wall, drugged a keg of beer. After draining the keg two of the Giants fell into a deep slumber. Aileil emerged disguised as a Cambion (using the Circlet of Disguise taken from the Troll cook) and questioned the conscious Giant. It became clear that it knew nothing of Guilod and was just an oversized bandit.
Attempting to knock the brute out the Druid drugged an amphora of wine and gave it to the Giant (two thirds of the powder has been used up. The brute drained it and, while looking definitely glassy-eyed, remained obstinately awake. Growing frustrated the Druid gave the Giant some special pipe weed. The Giant accepted and consumed it but still remained awake.
At this point the Giant began yelling out to his sleeping mates. Aileil made a decision to act as time was getting on and there was a strong risk of the other Giants waking up.
The Druid attempted to surprise the Giant. This failed but the Druid was able to fling two vials of acid into the Giant's face. Bellowing in pain and rage the Giant lumbered to its feet. The Druid made a strategic withdrawal casting Faerie Fire which illuminated the awake Giant and one of his sleeping friends. Then sent Wotan into the attack while falling back and taunting the Giant while sniping at him.
A thrilling battle of skirmishing ensued with the Giant being shot at and gnawed and drawn away from its friends. The Faeirie Fire made it a prominent target and made it hard for the Giant to see in the dark, though its drunken state was also a factor. It attempted to throw rocks at the Druid and Wolf, but never got close.
After a while the Giant got bored and wandered back to wake up its friends. It kicked a sleeping Giant but then lumbered off again after the pesky Druid/Wolf.
The Giant was visibly weakening but managed to land some vicious blows on Wotan. Aileil noticed with dread that another large figure glowing with Faerie Fire had stood up next to the fire (another Giant was awake!).
At this point Wotan took a mortal wound and dropped. Aileil fell back and managed to kill the closest Giant with an arrow. Before the other one could move up he ran up to the Wolf and cast a Cure spell. The Wolf survived (just) but was very groggy. The two Giant killers then fled back to the rest of the party.
The Druid staggered into the Leprechaun cave in the early pre-dawn morning for a badly needed rest.
At dawn on the 8th an owl was spotted in a tree watching the cave. An arrow was fired at it and missed. The owl flew, suspiciously quickly, away to the north.
The party rested until dawn on July 9.
That morning the party executed Operation "Broken Wing" with the intent of trying to fool the Avengers that they were weakened.
Moving back to the Necromancer's cave, the party came upon six Zombies in Roman armour guarding the cave entrance. Donuk, calling on his deity, strode forward and turned 4 of the horrors. Of the remaining two, one dashed back into the cave while the other stood defiantly, defending the cave entrance. Taryyn advanced and butchered the Zombie. The party entered the cave and went to work trying to create an impression that the party had just survived a brutal combat and was severely weakened.
The party then returned to the Leprechaun's cave and prepared the animal herd for departure. They left at 0900.
Reaching the Pict village the party easily found the tracks of two Giants leaving the village heading south west. Following this trail they came to a point where a mass of horses (about 30) joined the Giants. The horses were in a tight formation and obviously being ridden.
The party camped.
On the 10th they moved off again. That afternoon the Druid (who was sweeping behind the party to pick up pursuers) saw two riders about a mile behind the party. The adventurers concealed themselves. As the riders drew closer it was obvious they were Irish raiders. Vincenzo confronted them. The Irish scouts said they had been looking for the party that had killed a Hill Giant and tried to talk their way out of trouble. The warblade dropped one scout while Vincenzo zapped the other one with a gob of goo from his staff (over to you humourists). Alaricus then Charmed the imprisoned scout.
The party camped that night. Tarryn noticed that the Irish scout's demeanour changed which presumably indicated he had shrugged off Alaricus's Charm. Suddenly the raider made a dash for freedom, but was shot down.
Shortly after this a owl was seen flying over the party. Aradec put an arrow into it as did Hester. Vincenzo blew it out of the sky with a Magic Missile spell. Examining the corpse (which was in fragments), Vincenzo noticed it had changed to a hawk , although noticeably larger than a standard hawk. he assessed it was probably a Familiar of a spellcaster. Aradec collected a talon to make a necklace and Hester harvested some feathers and put them in his hat
That evening Taryyn and Ailel scouted a few miles to the party's rear to see if anyone was following them. They noticed a large fire. Next to the fire about 30-40 horses were secured in a primitive corral. Six Irish warriors guarded them. Round the fire were 20 or so other Irish warriors plus two Hill Giants. Also visible were two warriors in impressive metal armour, a spellcaster in an impressive yellow robe and someone in fancy leather armour.
Aileil and Taryyn went back and warned the rest of the party.
The bold adventurers (or should that be sinister assassins?) crept forward. Hester, out to one flank, suddenly received a nasty wound from an arrow in the back, clearly fired by an archery specialist (;resumably a Scout or Rogue). He tried to spot his assailiant but failed. Falling back he received a second vicious wound.
Vincenzo wisely cast a Shield spell on himself.
Aileil, Taryyn and Aradec desperately scanned the darkness, but to no avail. Taryyn then heard something thump to the ground about 10' behind him. It was a small body (about 2' long) in red and green partly hidden in the grass.
Aileil then suddenly spied a hulking figure skimming about 5' above the ground flying north. Using the Gem of Seeing he descried an Orc in Leather Armour. He cast Faerie Fire on it.
A chase then ensued. The Orc tried to escape and was blasted with arrows, a Ego Whip from Alaricus, a Magic Missile spell from Vincenzo's wand and a Hold Person spell from Donuk, but kept going.
Aileil then saw small figure flying upwards about 60' ahead of the Orc - it appeared to be a Goblin.
Donuk finally bought the Orc down with a Hold Person spell. The Goblin suddenly turned into vapour and faded from view.
Searching the Orc the adventurers found a breastplate, a masterwork battleaxe, two potions and a heavy wooden shield. Donuk cast Detect Magic on the items and determined that all were magic other than the battleaxe. Vincenzo opined that the potions were Cure Light Wounds potions. Hester drank one and felt a lot better.
The body in the grass was examined. It turned out to be the Leprechaun. His head was almost severed and his eyes had been burned out. Pinned to his chest was a note in Pictish, Orcish and Latin which read "We found your Scout!". Aileil put the corpse into the Bag of Holding.
Time 1900, July. Overcast night - and very dark.
He found the village had indeed been trashed and three Hill Giants with broad Irish accents were seated around a roaring fire celebrating their victory by guzzling kegs of Pictish beer. The Giants had come over to Caledonia with Irish raiders but had split from them as they found the raiders too timid.
Aileil, using the grey powder found in the fort at the Antonine Wall, drugged a keg of beer. After draining the keg two of the Giants fell into a deep slumber. Aileil emerged disguised as a Cambion (using the Circlet of Disguise taken from the Troll cook) and questioned the conscious Giant. It became clear that it knew nothing of Guilod and was just an oversized bandit.
Attempting to knock the brute out the Druid drugged an amphora of wine and gave it to the Giant (two thirds of the powder has been used up. The brute drained it and, while looking definitely glassy-eyed, remained obstinately awake. Growing frustrated the Druid gave the Giant some special pipe weed. The Giant accepted and consumed it but still remained awake.
At this point the Giant began yelling out to his sleeping mates. Aileil made a decision to act as time was getting on and there was a strong risk of the other Giants waking up.
The Druid attempted to surprise the Giant. This failed but the Druid was able to fling two vials of acid into the Giant's face. Bellowing in pain and rage the Giant lumbered to its feet. The Druid made a strategic withdrawal casting Faerie Fire which illuminated the awake Giant and one of his sleeping friends. Then sent Wotan into the attack while falling back and taunting the Giant while sniping at him.
A thrilling battle of skirmishing ensued with the Giant being shot at and gnawed and drawn away from its friends. The Faeirie Fire made it a prominent target and made it hard for the Giant to see in the dark, though its drunken state was also a factor. It attempted to throw rocks at the Druid and Wolf, but never got close.
After a while the Giant got bored and wandered back to wake up its friends. It kicked a sleeping Giant but then lumbered off again after the pesky Druid/Wolf.
The Giant was visibly weakening but managed to land some vicious blows on Wotan. Aileil noticed with dread that another large figure glowing with Faerie Fire had stood up next to the fire (another Giant was awake!).
At this point Wotan took a mortal wound and dropped. Aileil fell back and managed to kill the closest Giant with an arrow. Before the other one could move up he ran up to the Wolf and cast a Cure spell. The Wolf survived (just) but was very groggy. The two Giant killers then fled back to the rest of the party.
The Druid staggered into the Leprechaun cave in the early pre-dawn morning for a badly needed rest.
At dawn on the 8th an owl was spotted in a tree watching the cave. An arrow was fired at it and missed. The owl flew, suspiciously quickly, away to the north.
The party rested until dawn on July 9.
That morning the party executed Operation "Broken Wing" with the intent of trying to fool the Avengers that they were weakened.
Moving back to the Necromancer's cave, the party came upon six Zombies in Roman armour guarding the cave entrance. Donuk, calling on his deity, strode forward and turned 4 of the horrors. Of the remaining two, one dashed back into the cave while the other stood defiantly, defending the cave entrance. Taryyn advanced and butchered the Zombie. The party entered the cave and went to work trying to create an impression that the party had just survived a brutal combat and was severely weakened.
The party then returned to the Leprechaun's cave and prepared the animal herd for departure. They left at 0900.
Reaching the Pict village the party easily found the tracks of two Giants leaving the village heading south west. Following this trail they came to a point where a mass of horses (about 30) joined the Giants. The horses were in a tight formation and obviously being ridden.
The party camped.
On the 10th they moved off again. That afternoon the Druid (who was sweeping behind the party to pick up pursuers) saw two riders about a mile behind the party. The adventurers concealed themselves. As the riders drew closer it was obvious they were Irish raiders. Vincenzo confronted them. The Irish scouts said they had been looking for the party that had killed a Hill Giant and tried to talk their way out of trouble. The warblade dropped one scout while Vincenzo zapped the other one with a gob of goo from his staff (over to you humourists). Alaricus then Charmed the imprisoned scout.
The party camped that night. Tarryn noticed that the Irish scout's demeanour changed which presumably indicated he had shrugged off Alaricus's Charm. Suddenly the raider made a dash for freedom, but was shot down.
Shortly after this a owl was seen flying over the party. Aradec put an arrow into it as did Hester. Vincenzo blew it out of the sky with a Magic Missile spell. Examining the corpse (which was in fragments), Vincenzo noticed it had changed to a hawk , although noticeably larger than a standard hawk. he assessed it was probably a Familiar of a spellcaster. Aradec collected a talon to make a necklace and Hester harvested some feathers and put them in his hat
That evening Taryyn and Ailel scouted a few miles to the party's rear to see if anyone was following them. They noticed a large fire. Next to the fire about 30-40 horses were secured in a primitive corral. Six Irish warriors guarded them. Round the fire were 20 or so other Irish warriors plus two Hill Giants. Also visible were two warriors in impressive metal armour, a spellcaster in an impressive yellow robe and someone in fancy leather armour.
Aileil and Taryyn went back and warned the rest of the party.
The bold adventurers (or should that be sinister assassins?) crept forward. Hester, out to one flank, suddenly received a nasty wound from an arrow in the back, clearly fired by an archery specialist (;resumably a Scout or Rogue). He tried to spot his assailiant but failed. Falling back he received a second vicious wound.
Vincenzo wisely cast a Shield spell on himself.
Aileil, Taryyn and Aradec desperately scanned the darkness, but to no avail. Taryyn then heard something thump to the ground about 10' behind him. It was a small body (about 2' long) in red and green partly hidden in the grass.
Aileil then suddenly spied a hulking figure skimming about 5' above the ground flying north. Using the Gem of Seeing he descried an Orc in Leather Armour. He cast Faerie Fire on it.
A chase then ensued. The Orc tried to escape and was blasted with arrows, a Ego Whip from Alaricus, a Magic Missile spell from Vincenzo's wand and a Hold Person spell from Donuk, but kept going.
Aileil then saw small figure flying upwards about 60' ahead of the Orc - it appeared to be a Goblin.
Donuk finally bought the Orc down with a Hold Person spell. The Goblin suddenly turned into vapour and faded from view.
Searching the Orc the adventurers found a breastplate, a masterwork battleaxe, two potions and a heavy wooden shield. Donuk cast Detect Magic on the items and determined that all were magic other than the battleaxe. Vincenzo opined that the potions were Cure Light Wounds potions. Hester drank one and felt a lot better.
The body in the grass was examined. It turned out to be the Leprechaun. His head was almost severed and his eyes had been burned out. Pinned to his chest was a note in Pictish, Orcish and Latin which read "We found your Scout!". Aileil put the corpse into the Bag of Holding.
Time 1900, July. Overcast night - and very dark.